Giants Beat Eagles On Allegre's Kicks

By GERALD ESKENAZI, Special to the New York Times

Published: November 16, 1987

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 15—
A punishing, back-and-forth struggle between the Giants and Eagles that sidelined Lawrence Taylor, Joe Morris and Brad Benson came down to a bare-footed kicker's 39-yard field-goal attempt today.

When Paul McFadden's boot finished its flight, with 11 seconds remaining, the Giants were punching the air and cheering, their 20-17 victory preserved as the ball sailed wide to the left.

Earlier in the final period, Raul Allegre gave the Giants the edge with a 52-yard field goal, equaling a National Football League record by making two 50-yard-plus kicks in one game.

That lifted the Giants to their third victory in four games since the strike ended. But their overall mark of 3-6 barely keeps the Super Bowl champions alive as a wild-card contender. And now they have injuries to three Pro Bowl players and face the streaking Saints next Sunday in New Orleans.

The Giants played for the second straight Sunday with Jeff Rutledge in place of Phil Simms, who has a sprained left knee. Rutledge was especially resourceful against the power-charging Eagles defense, and amassed 298 yards passing by hitting on 16 of 30 attempts, one for a touchdown.

The irrepressible Randall Cunningham, meanwhile, again was the Eagles' leading rusher, with 71 yards on 10 carries. He connected on half his passes, 17 of 34, for 177 yards.

On his final desperate dash to try to pick up a first down on third-and-4, Taylor grasped him on the Giants' 23 - a yard short of the first down. Only 25 seconds remained. As Taylor rolled over with Cunningham, the Giants' star suffered a hamstring injury. As usual, the club would not comment on whether his or the other injuries were serious. But Taylor was limping badly when he left the stadium.

Earlier, Morris was hurt on his only carry of the game, when he strained chest muscles, and Benson suffered a knee injury.

Taylor's final tackle, though, forced McFadden's attempt from a distance he connects on better than 80 percent of the time. Special Teams Crucial

At the end of a game, in which both defenses stormed to the ball in front of 66,172 fans bellowing for their resurgent Eagles, it came down to special teams. And the Giants' Sean Landeta, one of the league's best punters, put the club in a hole when, with only 1 minute 49 seconds remaining, he got off a 36-yard punt that enabled the Eagles to start their final drive on the Giants' 43.

But the Giants' defense kept its head by not moving out of position, and pressured Cunningham enough to force the failed field-goal attempt.

Allegre said the excitement of the pair of 50-yarders - accomplished only 12 times before - actually hurt him in subsequent attempts.

After he kicked a 53-yarder late in the second quarter, his 41-yard attempt as the half closed was no good. And after his 52-yard kick, he missed on a 47-yarder.

''I should have controlled my emotions a little bit better,'' he said. ''I was on an emotional high and it wasn't long after I hit the 53 and the 52 I went in.''

Until he and Rutledge warmed up, the Eagles took a remarkably easy 10-0 edge by scoring on their first two possessions.

They began by running at the Giants, rolling up 98 first-quarter yards on the ground as Cunningham simply handed off to Keith Byars or Anthony Toney. But on a third-and-9, Cunningham stung the Giants.

First, he rolled out and avoided the pass rush, then, while moving to his left he connected with Gregg Garrity for a 41-yard play. That helped bring the Eagles close enough for Cunningham to run over from 4 yards out to cap a 91-yard drive. Costly Fumble

On the Giants' first play from scrimmage, Rutledge hit George Adams over the middle for an 18-yard pass play. But Adams fumbled when he was hit by Seth Joyner, and Andre Waters recovered on the Giants' 47.

That positioned a 25-yard McFadden field goal.

The Giants had come in knowing that the Eagles could be beaten by the long pass because their pressure defense puts so many players near the line of scrimmage. The Giants also figured that quick passes to the tight end, Mark Bavaro, would work. What they didn't figure was they also would have to run without Morris.

But Lee Rouson had a rousing game with 61 yards rushing on only 12 carries. Bavaro grabbed 7 passes for 102 yards, and Lionel Maneul and Stephen Baker were the deep threats. Manuel produced one long play of 42 yards while Baker had one of 50.

The Giants got back into the game as Rutledge connected with Manuel on a 36-yard scoring play.

Late in the second quarter, Allegre kicked his longest field goal in his two seasons as a Giant, the 53-yarder tying the score.

Helped by another turnover in the third quarter - Rutledge was intercepted in the end zone by Elbert Foules after the Giants had moved to the 20 - Cunningham led another scoring drive. He dived over the middle on a third-and-1 to keep things moving, and then connected with Byars on an 8-yard scoring play.

The Giants bounced back late in the quarter as Rutledge overcame Reggie White's third sack of the period. Until then, William Roberts, the inexperienced right tackle, had held off White, who entered the game tied for the league lead with seven sacks.

Rutledge hit Manuel with two big plays on a touchdown drive - a 42-yarder and then, on third-and-goal from the 16, a 15-yard pass that brought the ball a half yard from the goal. On fourth-and-1, Adams cut to the left and over the goal-line. SIMMS'S STATUS

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 15 (Special to The New York Times) - Coach Bill Parcells tried to keep the Eagles in the dark about whether Phil Simms would suit up for today's game. Apparently, the Eagles didn't even care.

When Simms came out for early Giants's pre-game warmups, at least two Eagles' scouts were surprised.

''Did you see him backpedaling, not wearing a brace or anything?'' one said, thinking Simms would play.

Actually, the decision to sideline Simms was made on Saturday. By league rule, a team's 45-man roster has to be sumbitted to the N.F.L. office by 4 P.M.